Over 30 years ago a friend and I were chatting about writing a book about the privacy dangers of technology. Of course it wouldn't have sold back then as no one would have believed it. But that's when the very first scanners started showing up in grocery stores. The point was to eventually create massive databases of everything you buy. Of course you can still use cash. But nearly 20 years ago; I was in a meeting with banking execs looking at replacing cash with smart cards. The point was to close the cash loophole and to add all cash purchases to the database.

Fortunately industry has been slow to use such data. But as computers continue to increase so dramatically in price and capability; what might the future look like? Imagine buying a rib roast at the grocery or having a steak dinner at a restaurant, returning home and getting a call from your health insurance company to talk about your purchase and your cholesterol.

I don't want to sound paranoid and I love technology. But I really wonder about the use of technology in the next 20 years considering the changes in the last 20.